Ball Speed to Distance: The Magic Ratio for Distance

If you want to shoot lower scores fast, you should work on your ball speeds for longer distances/

In this blog, we’ll cover everything about the ball speed-to-distance relationship. We’ll also address other factors like equipment, swing speed, and launch angle that factor into ball speed. With that, we’ll also help you learn how to measure speed so you can improve it over time and hopefully hit your golf goals.

Ball Speed to Distance

According to Trackman Golf, the average PGA player has 113 mph club speed, 167 mph ball speed, 1.48 smash factor, 10.9 launch angle, and 2686 spin rate, which carries about 275 yards.

Fairways are firm and fast while having perfectly fitted equipment.

Ball Speed vs. Swing Speed

Ball speed refers to how fast a golf ball travels the moment after impact with the clubface. So, the longer the club, the higher the ball speed.

For example, a PGA Tour Player averages 167 mph ball speed with its driver, but only 127 mph with his 6-iron.

While clubhead speed refers to how fast the club travels at impact, longer clubs produce more speed. That’s why PGA Tour players average 113 mph clubhead speed with a driver and only 92 mph with a 6-iron.

The factors influencing the ball and club head speed are club path, club face, type of ball, weather, golfer’s, mechanics, fitness levels, gender, and more.

The most common way to measure golf swing and ball speed is with a launch monitor. You can either use a professional launch monitor or a personal launch monitor which are much more expensive but can double as a golf simulator.

Average Ball Speed

Foresight Sports– a leader in high-end launch monitors- found these averages:

• Male golfer- 5 handicap: 147 mph
• Male golfer- average handicap: 133 mph
• Female golfer- 5 handicap: 125 mph
• Female golfer- average handicap: 111 mph

Another top name in the launch monitor world, Trackman Golf, found these stats for the average male golfer:

• Ball speed- 132.6 mph
• Clubhead speed: 93.4 mph
• Spin rate: 3275
• Carry: 204 yards

So, it’s safe to say that the average golfer has a 133 mph ball speed. Scratch golfers are likely north of 150 mph but still far from a professional golfer.

So, the average golfer is about 30 mph less than a PGA Tour player.

Factors that Contribute to Speed

Here are some huge factors that contribute to speed:

Smash Factor

As mentioned above, the PGA Tour average is 1.48 out with a driver. This states where the ball is struck on the clubface. The more you hit it in the center, the higher speed you can generate.

Optimal Launch Angle

According to Foresight Sports, this angle is between 10-14 degrees. It helps the average golfer optimize carry distance for longer drives.

Spin Rate

We can better understand spin rate with an example. Let’s say, you have 69 mph golf ball speed. So your ideal speed becomes 2500-3500 rpm. But if you are swinging at 110 swing speed, your ideal spin range is 1900-2900.

Temperature

When it’s colder, it makes it harder for you to swing fast and hit bombs. Whereas, when it’s hotter, the air is thinner and the fairways are firm.

The weather undoubtedly plays a huge role in total distance.

How to Gain Golf Ball Speed

Since gaining speed is extremely beneficial to your overall game, here are a few tips to help you increase your speed.

Sign Up for a Custom Fitting

• While you don’t need to get a custom fit for every club in the bag, getting it for the driver and putter is crucial.

• A quick 45-minute driver fitting can do wonders for your ball speed and total distance.

• You can test out different driver heads and shafts to see how your ball speeds change.

• If the fitter offers a golf ball fitting, take it.

• Dialing in the driver and golf ball equals maximum distance.

Learn to Generate More Lag

A lack of lag forbids you to hit as far as you would like. Most golfers have an out-to-swing vs. an in-to-out swing.

The latter promotes a shallowing of the golf club on the downswing, which makes it easier to add distance with your hand beyond impact.

Lag is a secret weapon for not only gaining ball speed but also making better contact.

As Golf Digest mentioned, “What Sergio is doing to create lag is starting the downswing with his lower body. He has a free-flowing swing and seamlessly goes from backswing to downswing with his legs and hips before his arms, hands, and club can do the same.”

So, to generate more lag, try out the Lag Shot Golf Training Aid. It’s a great device you can use at home or at the driving range to hit balls with and generate more lag.

Use Ground Force Properly

• This will allow you to generate more power and get the big muscles of your legs involved.

• Wear Athalonz golf shoes to improve your speed without speed training or changing your swing.

Speed Training Tools

Here are two of our favorite speed training tools:

Super Speed Golf

These weighted sticks will help you hit the golf ball longer than ever by increasing your carry distance. It’s a great way to start if you have never tried speed training.

The Stack System

If you’re a more advanced golfer, check out this speed training program that uses an app and launch monitor (or Sports Sensors speed radar system) to increase your speed.

Other benefits:

• Interchangeable weights.
• Detailed app with various programs (used by Tons of PGA and LIV golfers- Matt Fitzpatrick, and many others).

Final Thoughts

Golf ball speed is a huge factor that can take your game to the next level. Roughly one mile per hour ball speed equates to about two yards carry distance. More speed simply makes the game easier. That’s why we highly suggest buying a launch monitor to measure your driver ball speed over time and see what’s working.